1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the non-invasive sensing, detecting, and/or monitoring of uterine activity, including uterine contractions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tocodynamometers have been and are being used to non-invasively monitor uterine contractions. Such devices mechanically sense the hardness of the abdominal wall. These devices suffer from a number of problems, the primary one of which is that they provide relative data which in many cases does not reflect the actual intensity of uterine contractions. Also, the devices are large, require belts for attachment to the patient, and are sensitive to movement of the device relative to the patient's abdomen.